Wheel rim accessory and method for assembling thereof

ABSTRACT

A wheel rim accessory (10) comprising: a casing (64), for containing a tire sealant (20) and a mechanism for releasing the tire sealant (20) for sealing a vehicle wheel (60), wherein the casing (64) is assemblable to the vehicle wheel (60) by nuts (18), which assemble a rim (16) of the vehicle wheel (60) to a hub (46) of the vehicle,

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of run flat tires. More particularly, the invention relates to an accessory for a wheel and method for assembling thereof.

BACKGROUND

A run-flat tire is a pneumatic vehicle tire that is designed to resist the effects of deflation when punctured, and to enable the vehicle to continue to be driven.

However, a conventional tire cannot be turned to a run-flat tire.

In one aspect of the invention, the invention provides a method and apparatus for turning a convention tire to a run-flat tire.

In one aspect of the invention, the invention provides a solution to the above-mentioned and other problems of the prior art.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a wheel rim accessory (10) comprising: a casing (64), for containing a tire sealant (20) and a mechanism for releasing the tire sealant (20) for sealing a vehicle wheel (60), wherein the casing (64) is assemblable to the vehicle wheel (60) by nuts (18), which assemble a rim (16) of the vehicle wheel (60) to a hub (46) of the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments, features, and aspects of the invention are described herein in conjunction with the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a wheel rim accessory, for turning, according to one embodiment of the invention, a conventional tire to a run flat tire.

FIG. 2 depicts the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 1, after assembling it to the rim of the wheel.

FIG. 3 is a wheel rim accessory, for turning, according to another embodiment of the invention, a conventional tire to a run flat tire.

FIG. 4 depicts the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 3, after assembling it to the rim of the wheel.

FIG. 5 depicts the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 3, after assembling it and the wheel rim to the hub of the vehicle.

FIG. 6 depicts a transmitter of the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 1.

The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will be understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which are meant to be descriptive and not limiting. For the sake of brevity, some well-known features, methods, systems, procedures, components, circuits, and so on, are not described in detail.

The reference numbers have been used to point out elements in the embodiments described and illustrated herein, in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention. They are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting. Also, the foregoing embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in conjunction with systems and methods thereof, which are meant to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.

FIG. 1 is a wheel rim accessory, for turning, according to one embodiment of the invention, a conventional tire to a run flat tire.

A wheel rim accessory 10, according to one embodiment of the invention, is designed to be assembled to the rim 16 of the wheel 60 of the vehicle.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, wheel rim accessory 10 is assemblable by the nuts 18, which assemble wheel rim 16 to the vehicle.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 1, wheel rim accessory 10 is assemblable to the external side of the vehicle, thus wheel rim accessory 10 is disposed between heads 22 of nuts 18 and wheel rim 16. According to this embodiment, rim accessory 10 includes several holes 12, each for threading one of nuts 18 therethrough.

FIG. 2 depicts the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 1, after assembling it to the rim of the wheel.

Wheel rim accessory 10 is shaped round, i.e., as a hollowed circle, for evenly surrounding the center 62 of wheel 60. The weight of wheel rim accessory 10 is further roundly evenly distributed, for evenly distributing the weight thereof around center 62 of wheel 60.

Wheel rim accessory 10 may include an exception to the round even distribution, being a balancing weight 52, which may be added, for correcting non-even weight distribution. The even weight distribution is of the weight of wheel rim accessory 10 plus the weight of wheel 60.

Wheel rim accessory 10 may include a peripheral track 50, for locating balancing weight 52 in a selected location, which balances the overall weight distribution.

After the physical assembling of wheel rim accessory 10 to wheel rim 16, an end pipe 36 of wheel rim accessory 10 is connected to the air valve 14 of wheel 60.

Casing 64 of wheel rim accessory 10 contains a tire sealant, such as foam; and a mechanism for detecting loss of air of wheel 60, and for executing the release of the tire sealant.

FIG. 3 is a wheel rim accessory, for turning, according to another embodiment of the invention, a conventional tire to a run flat tire.

Conventionally, wheel 60 is assembled to the hub 46 of the vehicle by nuts 18, and the non-professional user is capable of applying this assembling.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 3, wheel rim accessory 10 as well may be assembled by the nuts 18, which assemble wheel rim 16 to the vehicle.

In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 1, according to the embodiment of FIG. 3, wheel rim accessory 10 is assembled to the internal side, i.e., wheel rim accessory 10 is disposed between wheel rim 16 and the hub 46 of the vehicle.

FIG. 4 depicts the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 3, after assembling it to the rim of the wheel.

Wheel rim accessory 10 is shaped round, for evenly surrounding the center 62 of wheel 60. The weight of wheel rim accessory 10 is further roundly evenly distributed, for evenly distributing the weight thereof around center 62 of wheel 60.

FIG. 5 depicts the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 3, after assembling it and the wheel rim to the hub of the vehicle.

After the physical assembling of wheel rim accessory 10 to wheel rim 16, end pipe 36 of wheel rim accessory 10 may be connected to communicate with the air of wheel 60.

Casing 64 of wheel rim accessory 10 contains a tire sealant, such as foam 20; and a pressure gauge 30 for detecting loss of air of wheel 60, for executing the release of the tire sealant.

FIG. 6 depicts a transmitter of the wheel rim accessory of FIG. 1.

Wheel rim accessory 10 may include a transmitter 42, for reporting, for instance to a cell phone 40, the detected air loss.

In the figures and/or description herein, the following reference numerals (Reference Signs List) have been mentioned:

-   -   numeral 10 denotes the rim accessory, according to one         embodiment of the invention;     -   numeral 12 denotes a hole in the casing of the rim accessory,         for threading a nut therethrough;     -   numeral 14 denotes the air valve of the wheel;     -   numeral 16 denotes the rim of the wheel;     -   numeral 18 denotes a nut, for assembling the wheel of the hub of         the vehicle;     -   numeral 20 denotes a tire sealant;     -   numeral 22 denotes the head of the nut;     -   numeral 30 denotes a pressure gauge;     -   numeral 36 denotes an end pipe;     -   numeral 40 denotes a cell phone;     -   numeral 42 denotes a transmitter;     -   numeral 46 denotes a hub of the vehicle;     -   numeral 50 denotes a peripheral track;     -   numeral 52 denotes a balancing weight;     -   numeral 60 denotes the wheel of the vehicle;     -   numeral 62 denotes the center of the wheel;     -   numeral 64 denotes the casing of the wheel rim accessory;

The foregoing description and illustrations of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the above description in any form.

Any term that has been defined above and used in the claims, should to be interpreted according to this definition.

The reference numbers in the claims are not a part of the claims, but rather used for facilitating the reading thereof. These reference numbers should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any form. 

In the claims:
 1. A wheel rim accessory assemblable to a wheel of a vehicle, the wheel comprising a wheel rim having a vehicle facing surface, a curb facing surface and a tire facing surface and a tire, the tire adapted to be mounted on the wheel rim thereby defining an internal volume of the wheel between the tire facing surface and the tire, the wheel rim accessory comprising: (a) a casing having an outlet adapted to be in fluid communication with the internal volume of the wheel, said casing being assemblable to the wheel rim of the wheel; (b) a filler substance disposed within said casing; and (c) a valve mechanism operationally coupled with said outlet, said valve mechanism controlling a flow of said filler substance from said casing to the internal volume of the wheel such that when a pressure level in the internal volume of the wheel is below a first predefined level, said valve mechanism allows said filler substance to flow into the internal volume until said pressure level reaches a second predefined level, wherein said second predefined level is equal to, or greater than, said first predefined level.
 2. The wheel rim accessory of claim 1, wherein the filler substance is a gas.
 3. The wheel rim accessory of claim 1, wherein the filler substance is a sealant.
 4. The wheel rim accessory of claim 3, wherein said sealant is a viscous carrier fluid.
 5. The wheel rim accessory of claim 4, wherein said sealant includes at least one of: a fibrous material, a polymeric material and a combination thereof.
 6. The wheel rim accessory of claim 2, further comprising a sealant material adapted to be mixed with said gas, said sealant material selected from the group comprising: a fibrous material, a polymeric material and a combination thereof.
 7. The wheel rim accessory of claim 2, further comprising a sealant, said sealant adapted to be released prior to said gas,
 8. The wheel rim accessory of claim 1, wherein said valve mechanism is operationally coupled to a pressure gauge.
 9. The wheel rim accessory of claim 8, wherein said pressure gauge controls operation of said valve mechanism such that when a pressure value measured by said pressure gauge of said pressure level in the internal volume of the wheel is below said first predefined level said valve mechanism opens and when said pressure value increases to said second predefined level said valve mechanism closes.
 10. The wheel rim accessory of claim 8, wherein said valve mechanism is controlled based on values measured by said pressure gauge.
 11. The wheel rim accessory of claim 10, wherein said valve mechanism is selected from the group of: an electrically operated valve and a mechanically operated valve.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The wheel rim accessory of claim 1, wherein said filler substance comprises: (b)(i) a first filler disposed in a first filler container, and (b)(ii) a second filler disposed in a second filler container; and said valve mechanism comprises: (c)(i) a first valve interposed between said first filler container and said outlet, and (c)(ii) a second valve interposed between said second filler container and said outlet said first valve and second valve adapted to transform to an open state allowing said first and second fillers to flow to said outlet when said pressure level in the internal volume of the wheel is under said first predefined level, and to transform to a closed state wherein said first valve and said second valve are closed, preventing said first filler from exiting said first container and said second filler from exiting said second container when said pressure level in the internal volume of the wheel is above said second predefined level. 14-15. (canceled)
 16. the wheel rim accessory of claim 13, further comprising: (d) a mixing cell interposed between said valve mechanism and said outlet, said mixing cell adapted to receive a portion of said first filler and a potion of said second filler so as to allow said portions to react with each other to produce a substance selected from the group comprising: a gas, a sealant and a combination thereof.
 17. The wheel rim accessory of claim 1, wherein said casing is adapted to be assembled to the curb facing surface of the wheel rim.
 18. (canceled)
 19. The wheel rim accessory of claim 17, further comprising a balancing weight disposed on an outer edge of said casing.
 20. (canceled)
 21. The wheel rim accessory of claim 1, wherein said casing is adapted to be assembled to the vehicle facing surface of the wheel rim. 22-23. (canceled)
 24. The wheel rim accessory of claim 1, wherein said casing is adapted to be assembled to the tire facing surface of the wheel rim.
 25. The wheel rim accessory of claim 8, further comprising a wireless transmitter configured to be in electrical communication with a remote computing device.
 26. The wheel rim accessory of claim 25, wherein said wireless transmitter is configured to communicate values measured by said pressure gauge to said remote computing device.
 27. The wheel rim accessory of claim 25, wherein said wireless transmitter is configured to communicate instructions from said remote computing device to control said valve mechanism. 